Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 20: Elaborating on measures being initiated to generate employment and ensure a settled life for tribals, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and Tribal Affairs, Ch Zulfkar Ali, today said that Govt. would soon be launching a scheme for development and marketing of tribal produce in the State.
“The programme would go a long way in raising socio-economic profile of nomadic populace through skill development enabling them to lead a dignified life”, the Minister maintained.
Interacting with representatives of Gujjar and Bakerwal community here this afternoon, the Minister reiterated that larger objective of a separate Tribal Ministry is to provide more attention on integrated and holistic development of under privileged section of the society in a planned manner with impetus on utilization of funds optimally earmarked for their welfare.
The Minister said coordinated efforts and single minded participation of the community would be needed both at monitoring and executive level to implement various schemes tailored for their welfare so that benefit of the schemes percolates down to the grass route level.
Referring to various initiatives, the Minister said that 807 tribal villages with 40 percent tribal population have been identified and efforts are also being made to provide all basic and fundamental facilities to them. In this regard, a format has been issued to all DCs seeking details about fundamental requirements of the villagers. He said all the Gujjar and Bakerwal hostels would be converted into residential schools in coming three years besides streamlining the disbursement of scholarships so that the same will be credited to student’s account directly.
The Minister also deliberated on various issues raised by the representatives which included livestock insurances, holding of recruitment rally in tribal areas, reservation in new recruitment policy, construction of PG hostels in Srinagar, modernization of Gujjar and Bakerwal hostels, establishment of tribal bhawans etc.
Responding to their demands, the Minister assured that all their issues would be looked into for an early redressal.
Prominent among present were Ch Nizam-ud-Din, Din Mohammed Cheeta, Zaffar Ali, Javed Ahmed, Noor Ahmed, Younis Poswal, Rehman Badana, Ch Abdullha and Mohammad Sadiq.
Follow our WhatsApp channel